Founded in 2018, Secure Democracy, now known as Secure Democracy USA,  is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit that bills itself as a nonpartisan organization, but has deep ties to left-leaning activists, PACs, and law firms. The organization works exclusively on election policy advocacy, and supports expanding early voting, further use of mail-in ballot drop boxes, and reducing restrictions on absentee voting.¹ The organization’s website also states that it supports “Restoring voter eligibility to the thousands of Americans who have returned home from prison but do not have a voice in their communities.” ²

According to a lawsuit filed against Secure Democracy by a former employee, Secure Democracy, “was established in 2018…in order to work with Republicans on voting rights issues,” by presenting a right-of-center public face in order to distance itself, “from the Democratic Party–affiliated work of VRL [Voting Rights Lab],” a fiscally sponsored project of the New Venture Fund.³

Leadership

Board of Directors

Though they are not mentioned on the organization’s leadership webpage, the organization is led by a board of directors with a history of work in left-leaning activism. ⁴

President Heather Smith previously spent 14 years working at Rock the Vote, a left-leaning organizing group, serving as President and on the board of directors. She also spent five years working as an organizer at the Green Corps, a left-leaning environmentalist organization. ⁵

Secretary Michael Silberman worked for five years as the global director of the digital mobilization lab at Greenpeace, a radical left-wing environmentalist group, and worked as a national meetup director for Howard Dean’s campaign in the 2004 Democratic primary.⁶

Treasurer Brianna Cayo Cotter is also a senior vice president at Viacom, the national media conglomerate which owns CBS, MTV, and other large television channels, and has previously worked for Change.org and the Rainforest Action Network, a left-leaning environmentalist group.⁷

Staff

Secure Democracy’s Executive Director, Sarah Walker began working for Secure Democracy as a State & Federal Affairs Staff member in 2019 and was promoted to Executive Director in February 2021. ⁸ Before starting at Secure Democracy, Walker briefly worked as a Deputy Commissioner of Corrections for the Minnesota Department of Corrections, and spent several years working for Hill Capitol Strategies and MZA+ Co, two Minnesota based government affairs consulting firms. Walker has earned bachelor’s degrees in political science and Government and Political Science and African American Studies from Carleton College, and has studied as a PhD candidate in Sociology, Criminology, and Political Science at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. ⁹ Walker has made significant contributions to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 Presidential Campaign, the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, and the 2015 campaign of Congressman Tom Emmer (R-MN). ¹⁰

Regional Director Maya Ingram oversees Secure Democracy’s operations in Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, and Oregon. ¹¹ Ingram previously worked as a litigation attorney for the several California branches of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and as the Public Affairs Director for Planned Parenthood Golden Gate. ¹²

Regional Director Charley Olena oversees Secure Democracy’s operations in Alaska, Arizona, Connecticut, Kentucky, Ohio, and Washington. ¹³ Olena has also worked as Advocacy Director for New Era Colorado, a left-of-center voter mobilization group, and was appointed to the Colorado Commission on Higher Education in 2019. ¹⁴

Associate Director for State Communications, Jay Riestenberg, manages Secure Democracy’s communications efforts. Riestenberg has previously worked left-leaning watchdog organizations including the Center for Media and Democracy and Common Cause which are known for targeting conservative political groups. Riestenberg has also worked as a consultant for the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organization (AFL-CIO). ¹⁵

Ties to Perkins Coie

According to the Washington D.C. corporate registry, Secure Democracy is owned by a board of four governors. The owners are the three board members, Heather Smith, Michael Silberman, and Brianna Cayo Cotter, but also Graham Wilson, formerly a partner at the high-profile Democratic Party affiliated law firm Perkins Coie, now at the Elias Law Group.¹⁶

See here, Secure Democracy’s list of beneficial owners from the Washington D.C. corporate registry.

Ties to left-leaning PAC

In 2018, Secure Democracy’s Form 990’s listed a D.C. address that was also listed as the address of the Not Who We Are PAC.^{17 18} During 2015 and 2016, the PAC’s only major years of operation, the Not Who We Are PAC was funded almost exclusively by large contributions from high-profile Silicon Valley billionaires known for funding left-wing activist groups. For example, Pierre Omidyar contributed $200,000, Dustin Moskovitz contributed $125,000, his wife Cari Tuna contributed $125,000, and Christopher Hughes contributed $250,000. ¹⁹

Lobbying

According to Open Secrets, a watchdog organization, Secure Democracy has spent $200,000 on lobbying activity since 2020. ²⁰

In 2020, the organization paid $90,000 to retain the services of Ballard Partners, a lobbying firm led by Brian Ballard, a lobbyist with ties to President Donald Trump who was once called the “most powerful lobbyist in Trump’s Washington.” ²¹ The lobbying was reportedly for “issues related to educating policy makers on ways to ensure safe and secure elections.” ²²

Later in 2020, the organization paid $60,000 to another lobbying firm, Cornerstone Government Affairs, for lobbying services for unspecified government issues. ²³

In 2021, Secure Democracy paid Blue Mountain Strategies, a lobbying firm also used by Facebook and the Sixteen Thirty Fund, $30,000 for lobbying related to the “For the People Act” and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. ^{24 25} The lobbyist retained by Secure Democracy was listed as Luke Albee, who also works as a legislative affairs consultant for Protect Our Care, a left-leaning front group created by the Sixteen Thirty Fund. ²⁶

2022 Lawsuit for Discrimination and Wrongful Termination

On October 28, 2022, Sarah Walker, Secure Democracy’s former executive director and vice president of advocacy filed a lawsuit against Secure Democracy, Secure Democracy USA, and the New Venture Fund seeking damages for alleged discrimination, civil rights violations, and wrongful termination.^{27 28} According to the lawsuit, Secure Democracy was established in 2018 . . . in order to work with Republicans on voting rights issues and to maintain a distance from the Democratic Party–affiliated work of VRL [Voting Rights Lab].” Walker claimed that Secure Democracy had long worked as the 501(c)(4) wing of the Voting Rights Lab, which is a fiscally sponsored project of the New Venture Fund, and that both Secure Democracy and New Venture Fund had discriminated against female employees of color by paying them less than their white counterparts, denying them equal opportunity for advancement, and denying them equal access to benefits.” According to the lawsuit, Secure Democracy and Voting Rights lab leadership “constantly reminded [Walker] of her racial identity,” were obsessed with  “race and racial dynamics.”²⁹

The lawsuit also alleged that Secure Democracy and the Voting Rights Lab (New Venture Fund) had engaged in unethical advocacy practices that “jeopardiz[ed] their tax exempt status” and “intentional tax violations” by “unlawfully subsidizing”  Secure Democracy’s 501(c)(4) operations with funds from the 501(c)(3) Voting Rights Lab and the New Venture Fund. After Walker brought concerns about the inappropriate use of funds and discrimination to her employer, the New Venture Fund and secure Democracy allegedly retaliated against her by placing her on administrative leave until she was ultimately fired. In her lawsuit, Walker claimed that Secure Democracy and the Voting Rights Lab were “simply unconcerned about following the law.”³⁰

Near the time of Walker’s suspension Secure Democracy was dissolved as a legal entity and reformed under the name Secure Democracy USA with a new employer identification number and 501(c)(4) status. Public filings revealed that the newly formed Secure Democracy USA and the New Venture Fund had “entered into an agreement with [Secure Democracy] to acquire SD’s assets and liabilities.”³¹

Funding

In 2019 Secure Democracy received $2.7 million in grants. ³²

In 2018, Secure Democracy received $95,000 from the Sixteen Thirty Fund. ³³

In 2020 Secure Democracy received $700k from the Unite America PAC, a left-leaning hybrid PAC that claims to be centrist, but aligns very closely with left-leaning organizations and candidates. ³⁴

In 2020, Secure Democracy also received a $1 million contribution from the North Star Fund, a left-leaning grantmaking entity funded by a range of left-leaning foundations including  George Soros’s Foundation to Promote Open Society and the Ford Foundation.³⁵

1. “Protecting Americans’ Freedom to Vote.” Secure Democracy. Accessed October 7, 2021. https://www.secure-democracy.org/home/#work.
2. “Protecting Americans’ Freedom to Vote.” Secure Democracy. Accessed October 7, 2021. https://www.secure-democracy.org/home/#work.
3. Ludwig, Hayden. “Breaking: Arabella-Aligned Groups Sued for Racial Discrimination, Violating Civil Rights Laws.” Capital Research Center. Capital Research Center, November 3, 2022. https://capitalresearch.org/article/breaking-arabella-aligned-groups-sued-for-racial-discrimination-violating-civil-rights-laws/.
4. Return of Tax-exempt Organization. Form 990. Secure Democracy. 2018. Part VII. https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/823846342_201812_990O_2020061117187291.pdf
5. “Heather Smith – Founding Partner – Seven Strategies | Linkedin.” Accessed October 7, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-smith-b90bbb4. 
6. “Michael Silberman – Middlebury College – Linkedin.” Accessed October 7, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/msilberman. 
7. “Brianna Cayo Cotter – Senior Vice President … – Linkedin.” Accessed October 7, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannacc. 
8. “Sarah Walker – Executive Director – Secure … – Linkedin.” Accessed October 28, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-walker-33551612.
9. “Sarah Walker – Executive Director – Secure … – Linkedin.” Accessed October 28, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-walker-33551612.
10. “Browse Individual Contributions.” FEC.gov. Accessed October 28, 2021. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=Sarah%2BWalker&contributor_employer=MZA&contributor_state=MN.
11. “Our Leadership.” Secure Democracy. Accessed October 28, 2021. https://www.secure-democracy.org/our-leadership.
12. “Maya Ingram – Regional Director – Secure Democracy | Linkedin.” Accessed October 28, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/maya-ingram.
13. “Our Leadership.” Secure Democracy. Accessed October 28, 2021. https://www.secure-democracy.org/our-leadership.
14. “New Era Advocacy Director Appointed for Higher Ed Commission.” New Era Colorado, August 15, 2019. https://neweracolorado.org/new-era-advocacy-director-appointed-for-higher-ed-commission/.
15. “Jay Riestenberg – Linkedin.” Accessed October 28, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/jayriestenberg.
16. Person, and David Thomas. “Elias Departs Perkins Coie, as Firm Says Will Continue Political Law Practice.” Reuters. Thomson Reuters, August 23, 2021. https://www.reuters.com/legal/legalindustry/elias-departs-perkins-coie-firm-says-will-continue-political-law-practice-2021-08-23/.
17. Return of Tax-exempt Organization. Form 990. Secure Democracy. 2018. Part 1. Item C. https://apps.irs.gov/pub/epostcard/cor/823846342_201812_990O_2020061117187291.pdf.
18. “Report of Receipts FEC and … – Docquery.fec.gov.” Accessed October 7, 2021. https://docquery.fec.gov/pdf/158/201802209094618158/201802209094618158.pdf.
19. “Browse Receipts.” FEC.gov. Accessed October 7, 2021. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/?committee_id=C00623082&two_year_transaction_period=2016&data_type=processed.
20. “Secure Democracy Lobbying Profile.” OpenSecrets. Accessed October 11, 2021. https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/clients/summary?cycle=2021&id=F320206.
21. Meyer, Theodoric. “The Most Powerful Lobbyist in Trump’s Washington.” POLITICO Magazine, April 2, 2018. https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/04/02/most-powerful-lobbyist-in-trump-washington-217759/.
22. “Secure Democracy Lobbying Reports.” OpenSecrets. Accessed October 11, 2021. https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/clients/reports?cycle=2020&id=F320206.
23. Secure Democracy Lobbying Reports.” OpenSecrets. Accessed October 11, 2021. https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/clients/reports?cycle=2020&id=F320206.
24. “Blue Mountain Strategies Lobbying Profile.” OpenSecrets. Accessed October 11, 2021. https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/firms/summary?cycle=2021&id=F220971.
25. “LD-2 Disclosure Form.” Accessed October 11, 2021. https://lda.senate.gov/filings/public/filing/1ba4d3ac-830a-40a4-8b69-b7ec50cb077a/print/.
26. “Meet Our Team.” Protect Our Care, October 7, 2021. https://www.protectourcare.org/team/.
27. “Walker v. New Venture Fund Et Al.” Justia Dockets & Filings. Accessed February 21, 2023. https://dockets.justia.com/docket/district-of-columbia/dcdce/1:2022cv03312/248723.
28. Ludwig, Hayden. “Breaking: Arabella-Aligned Groups Sued for Racial Discrimination, Violating Civil Rights Laws.” Capital Research Center. Capital Research Center, November 3, 2022. https://capitalresearch.org/article/breaking-arabella-aligned-groups-sued-for-racial-discrimination-violating-civil-rights-laws/.
29. Ludwig, Hayden. “Breaking: Arabella-Aligned Groups Sued for Racial Discrimination, Violating Civil Rights Laws.” Capital Research Center. Capital Research Center, November 3, 2022. https://capitalresearch.org/article/breaking-arabella-aligned-groups-sued-for-racial-discrimination-violating-civil-rights-laws/.
30. Ludwig, Hayden. “Breaking: Arabella-Aligned Groups Sued for Racial Discrimination, Violating Civil Rights Laws.” Capital Research Center. Capital Research Center, November 3, 2022. https://capitalresearch.org/article/breaking-arabella-aligned-groups-sued-for-racial-discrimination-violating-civil-rights-laws/.
31. Ludwig, Hayden. “Breaking: Arabella-Aligned Groups Sued for Racial Discrimination, Violating Civil Rights Laws.” Capital Research Center. Capital Research Center, November 3, 2022. https://capitalresearch.org/article/breaking-arabella-aligned-groups-sued-for-racial-discrimination-violating-civil-rights-laws/.
32. Return of Tax-exempt Organization. Form 990. Secure Democracy. 2019. Part 1. https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2021/10/Secure-Democracy-2019.pdf
33. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/264486735/201903169349302565/IRS990ScheduleI
34. “Vendor/Recipient Profile: Secure+Democracy.” OpenSecrets. Accessed October 7, 2021. https://www.opensecrets.org/campaign-expenditures/vendor?cycle=2020&vendor=Secure%2BDemocracy.
35. DocumentCloud. Accessed October 8, 2021. https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20987863-north-fund-records.